A federal judge has sentenced a 43-year-old Prairieville man convicted of more than a hundred counts of distributing or receiving child porn to 40 years in prison.

Clinton D. Smith pleaded guilty in February to distributing 49 images and 15 videos of child pornography and receiving 80 images. Many of the images, according to a press release sent Thursday (July 3) from Louisiana's Middle District U.S. Attorney Walt Green's office, "depicted prepubescent minors, and several depicted violent, sadistic or masochistic conduct."

Smith's history of prior sex abuse of "several child victims" and his role in the production of the images was considered during sentencing at the federal courthouse in Baton Rouge.

U.S. District Court Judge Shelly Dick sentenced Smith to 480 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender upon release, and his access to computers, minor and the Internet will be restricted.

"The United States Attorney's Office has always prioritized its efforts in this critical area of crimes against children," Green said in a statement. "This sentence should serve as a deterrent to those who mean harm to our children."

The case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.